O'ahu briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
LEEWARD
Wai'anae road update tonight
The fourth general community meeting regarding the Wai'anae Coast Emergency Access Road is scheduled for 7 p.m. today at the Nanakuli High School cafeteria.
The city Department of Transportation Services called the meeting to brief area residents on the status of the access road project, which has been in the works for more than a year.
Among the topics to be discussed will be the draft environmental assessment and procedures for providing comment on it. Officials will also discuss confirmed road alignments and what the next steps will be.
EAST HONOLULU
'Aina Haina Fun Day set
'Aina Haina Elementary School's annual Fun Day will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 24 on campus.
The school is looking for parents to volunteer for a shift or two and for donated items for the Food Booth and Country Store.
Today is the deadline for dropping off donations of nonperishable food at the school office.
For more information, call the school at 377-2419.
HONOLULU
Event jams center's lot
Stung by an unexpected backlog of cars that compounded the usual morning crush of traffic, Neal Blaisdell Center officials are rethinking operations during daytime business events like yesterday's motivational seminar.
The event, which featured motivational speaker Zig Ziglar, started with a breakfast at 6:30 a.m. and a first session at 8, said events manager John Fuhrmann. The turnout filled the 8,000-seat NBC Arena, he said, but previous capacity events, such as the Jan. 10-11 crusade by evangelist Benny Hinn, did not cause a problem.
That's because so many of those attending the Ziglar event were business people attending on a regular workday, Fuhrmann said, each driving an auto instead of car-pooling.
The autos caused a bottleneck on streets surrounding the center.
Fuhrmann said his staff will make arrangements for regular patrons of the center's lot to park elsewhere during an event with a morning starting time. He also said that before similar upcoming events, the center will issue a traffic advisory warning about a potential jam and coordinate traffic management efforts with city police.
Rotary invites young writers
The Rotary Club of Honolulu is encouraging O'ahu high school students to participate in this year's Rotary Four-Way Test essay contest.
Students are asked to write a 500-word essay answering how the following four questions help in one's daily life.
"Is it the truth?" "Is it fair to all concerned?" "Will it build good will and better friendships?" "Will it be beneficial to all concerned?"
The basis of the essay may portray factual or fictional situations.
The contest is open to any high school student on O'ahu. Prizes range from a $700 savings bond for first place to a $150 savings bond for fourth place.
Entries must be postmarked by March 8 and sent to The Rotary Club of Honolulu, Four-Way Test Contest, 2259 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815.
If you have questions or need further information, call the Honolulu Rotary office at 922-5526.
CPR classes offered Friday
The American Heart Association is offering free CPR training downtown on Friday.
Each session will be 90 minutes. The series of classes will begin at 7 a.m., with new sessions starting every two hours, in Conference Room No. 1 on the eighth floor of the Pacific Tower at Bishop Square.
The heart association is encouraging businesses to let employees attend the classes during work hours.
"This has become an annual event offered by the AHA as a way to thank the businesses that provide our organizations outstanding support," said Reid Morrison, executive director of the association. "It's a very humble gift back, but it can turn out to be the gift of life to a family member, friend or co-worker."
According to the Honolulu Fire Department, it took bystanders an average 8 minutes and 17 seconds to call for help after seeing a person undergo a heart attack last year.
That is up from an average 8 minutes in 2000 and 7 minutes 49 seconds in 1997.
Knowing how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and acting quickly can save a victim's life, according to the association.
A mini-heath fair will also be held Friday at Tamarind Park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with blood pressure screening, stroke risk assessment and other health checks available.
To register for a class, call 538-7021, Ext. 34.
